Ebates Holiday Survey: Holiday Entertaining Is Not the Most Stressful Part of the Season—Shopping Is!

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One-fifth of Americans reveal that shopping for gifts is the most
stressful part of the holidays; one-third plan to shop earlier next year
to avoid the last-minute stress

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ebates,
a leader and pioneer in cash back shopping and subsidiary of the global
internet services company Rakuten, today announced the third wave of
results of its Holiday 2016 Survey. The national survey, which was
conducted online by Propeller Insights on behalf of Ebates in October
2016 and fielded among 1,035 adults and 500 teens, examined Americans’
thoughts on holiday stressors and what they will do differently next
holiday season.

Shopping—not parties—brings the most stress

Many may dread the never-ending succession of awkward holiday parties
this season brings, but it’s actually shopping for gifts that most
stresses Americans around the holidays. One-fifth admit that finding the
right present for everyone makes them most anxious (21 percent), while
balancing family obligations (15 percent) is also stressful.

Some Americans are more worried about the travel aspect of the holidays,
ranking traffic as the biggest source of stress (12 percent). Only six
percent of Americans are worried about weight gain.

The calming effect of kids, cleaning and
cocktails

When asked what they plan to do to recover from the holidays, Americans
say they’ll spend some quality time with their kids (50 percent). More
than one-third will clean their house for therapy (39 percent), and
another 33 percent will rely on cocktails to take the edge off. Other
popular choices include:

Go shopping—23 percent

Cook—20 percent

Take a vacation—17 percent

Get a massage—13 percent

Christmas resolutions: shop early, stick to
budgets

Eighty-seven percent of Americans say they resolve to do some things
differently next year. Some say they’ll keep emergency gifts on hand
(seven percent), some say they’ll get their holiday meals catered (five
percent), and some resolve to avoid holiday parties next year (three
percent).

However, the majority say they plan to start their shopping earlier to
avoid last-minute stress (31 percent), and one-fifth resolve to make a
strict budget and stick to it (21 percent). Fifteen percent plan to shop
online more next year to avoid crowds.

“This survey proves what we at Ebates have long suspected—that the quest
to find the perfect gift while staying on budget is one of the most
stressful parts of the holidays,” said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Ebates.
“Ebates offers cash back and coupons on everything from the hottest
electronics and home goods to clothing, accessories and even travel,
making it the one-stop shop for holiday shopping. It’s easy to find
exactly what you’re looking for, while avoiding the crowds and saving
money.”

Re-gifting…who will ever know?

The dreaded “what the heck?” gift—they happen to everyone, but what do
you do when you get one? According to the survey, most Americans choose
to re-gift or return these recycled presents (35 percent). If you’re
feeling charitable—like 30 percent of Americans are—you can always
donate unwanted gifts to charity.

What else do Americans do with gifts they don’t want or like? Here’s a
quick look:

Keep them, but hide them in their closet—24 percent

Wear/use them to make the gift-giver feel good—24 percent

Throw them away—7 percent

From now through the holidays, holiday shoppers can receive up to double
cash back on select retailers via Ebates. For more details on specific
retailers participating in the special offer, visit Ebates.com.
Shoppers can also download the free Ebates.com app at Google Play and
the AppStore.

About Ebates

Ebates rewards consumers with cash back on purchases while also
providing access to thousands of coupons, discounts, promotions and
special deals, including free shipping, at over 2,000 retailers. Free
membership allows consumers to shop online at their favorite retailers
while earning a percentage of every purchase they make, paid quarterly
in the form of a “Big Fat Check” or through PayPal. From niceties to
necessities, members of Ebates benefit from incentives at top-name
merchants for everything from furniture to fashion and appliances to
airfare. Because shopping with Ebates is hassle-free—with no rebate
forms to fill out and no points or miles to redeem—the site supports a
strong community of savvy shoppers across the country and around the
world.

Ebates is a registered trademark of Ebates Performance Marketing,
Inc. Rakuten is a registered trademark of Rakuten, Inc. Google Play is a
registered trademark of Google Inc. App Store is a registered trademark
of Apple Inc. PayPal is a registered trademark of PayPal, Inc.